Extensible drying rack



Dec. 6, 1949 w. H. en LEsPIE: 2,490,255

EXTENSIBLE DRYING RACK Filed June ze, 1947 l nventor E95 Mmmm HGilIqpie Gttorneg 'ure 1, and

Patented Dec. 6, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EXTENSIBLE DRYING RACK Woodward H. Gillespie, Louisville, Ky.

Application .l une 26, 1947, Serial No. 757,234

7 Claims. (Cl. 211-96) A further object is the provision of a collapsible l,

bracket providing a plurality of hanging racks pivotally mounted so as to lock in spread posiion.

Another object is the provision of a collapsibl rack providing a plurality of hanging racks, which may be frictionally clamped together for conjoint movement into retracted position.

A further object is the provision of a collapsible rack of simple construction which is inexpensive 4. to manufacture and which may be collapsed into a small volume or spread to provide a plurality of racks.

In accordance with the present invention I provide a sheath which is receivable in a cabinet,

4stove or the like, and which contains the racks in collapsed position. A shoe or bearing member in the sheath carries a plurality of racks in the form of rods pivoted thereon, and the end of the sheath has slots which receive the rods in spread position to hold them for use.

The invention will be described in greater detail in connection with the accompanying drawing which shows a preferred embodiment of the invention by way of example, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a top view in Section with parts broken away, and showing the invention in operative position,

Figure 2 is a plan view showing the invention in inoperative position,

Figure 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig- Figure 5 is a plan view partly in section of a detail.

Referring to the drawing, Figure 1, there is shown a tubular sheath I of metal or other suitable material, to which may be secured a flange 2 in any suitable manner, as by brazing. The device may be installed in a cabinet or stove wall, shown diagrammatically at 3, and is fastened in position by screws or the like extending through holes 4 in the flange into the wall. Sheath I may be split longitudinally for a portion of its length by removal of diametrically opposite portions to provide runways 5 and 6 terminating at 1 adjacent the flange to provide a stop. The separated ends of the sheath may be united by a plate having tabs 9 extending vthrough suitable diametrically opposite holes 'in the sheath wall, the tabs being peened or riveted to hold the sheath portions in proper position.

A shoe I4 located within the sheath for sliding movement therein, serves as a bearing member, and preferably has diametrically opposite guide projections I5 which project into the runways 5 and 6 and serve to prevent turning of the shoe in the sheath. In forward position of the shoe, the projections I5 engage the stop 1 to limit movement thereof. However, any other suitable means may be provided for this purpose. A rod I6, of suitable diameter extends through the shoe and at its opposite end preferably carries ya cap I1 adapted to t over the end I8 of the sheath. Cap I1 may be held on rod I6 by a threaded connection, or in any other suitable manner, or it may be carried by one of the other rods hereinafter referred to, if desired. The shoe I4 has bifucated ends or prongs 2I, 22 extending therefrom and a pin 23 extends through said prongs and through the ends 24, 25 of rods 26, 21, whereby said rods are supported for pivotal movement on said pin. The ends 24, 25 are offset in relation to the respective rods so that with the ends crossed the rods I6, 26 and 21 lie substantially in a common plane, as shown in Figure 4.

Rod I6 preferably carries at its outer end 4a friction clamp comprising in the preferred embodiment a pair of spring plates 30, 3l which may be secured thereto by pins 33, or in any other suitable manner, and when rods I6, 26 and 21 are in parallel or `collapsed position, as shown in Figures 3 and 5, the outer ends of rods 2B, 21 are resiliently held between plates 3U, 3|. In this position, the shoe I4 and the rods I6, 26 and 21 may be telescoped into the sheath I, the shoe I4 ,being slid inwardly until cap I1 engages the end of sheath I.l Cap I1 has recesses or dimples 34 in the interior surface which engage the nodules 35 struck up from the surface of sheath I, so that the cap is rmly held on the end of the sheath, but can be withdrawn when desired.

The end I8 of sheath I is slotted as indicated at 35, 31, the slots lying substantially in the same plane as rods 25 and 21. When the rods 25, 21 are in spread position, as shown in Figures l and 4, rod 25 rictionally engages an edge of slot 36 and rod 21 frictionally engages an edge of slot 31, so that rods 26, 21 are frictionally held in spread position. In this position, the rods IB, 26 and 21 3 are available for supporting towels or other wet articles which are to be dried.

When it is desired to place the rack in inoperative position, the towels, etc. are removed from the rods, and the rods 26, 21 are pivoted inwardly to disengage them from the slots 36, 31 and are swivelled to parallel position with the rod I6, the ends of the rods 26, 21 being received and gripped by the spring-.plates 30, 3|. The combined widths of therodsare less than the internal vdiameter of the sheath, so that in this position, the whole assembly of the shoe and, rods may be telescoped.

into the sheath, and the sheath is closed by the cap I1 engaging the end thereof. To placetl'nze4 rack in operative position, it isnecessary only to remove the cap and withdraw the rods and-- shoe thereby until the projections I5` engage theaA ends 1 of the runways, and then the rods 26, 21. may be spread to frictonally engage in theV slots" 36, 31. The spacing of the ends 1 of the runways isso related to the bottoms of slots 36, 31 that the rods may be spread the desired amount, and if desired, this distance may be such as to' lock therrods in spread position.

From the'tforegoing description, it willbe apparent that I'have provided an eXtensible rack whichn'i'ay be'readily attached to the wall of a cabinet, stove, or the like, and may be readily collapsedso as to be out of the way when its use is` not desired. The rack is sturdy and provides a multiplicity of Vrods upon which articles may be hung. While I have shown three such rods, it Will be apparent that any desired number of such rods may be employed. Various other modifications may be made in the invention without departing lfrom the spiritor scope thereof.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

A1'. A collapsible: rackV comprising a tubular sheath, the ends of said sheath providing slots. a bearing member slidable in said sheath, and a plurality of rods, at least two of which are pivo'ted to' said bearing member for movement in opposite directions and which are adapted to be received in said slots, the slots being oppositely, slightly offset relative to the rods, whereby each rod is held in frictional engagement with a side thereof to hold said rod in spread position.

2; A collapsible rack comprising a tubular sheath, the end of said sheath having slots, a shoe slidable in said sheath and having guide projection means preventing rotation therein, and a plurality of rods, at least one of which is pivoted to said shoe and is adapted to engage in one of said slots, the slot receiving said rod being slightly offset relative thereto, whereby the rod is held in frictional engagement with a side thereof to hold said rod in spread position.

3. A collapsible rack comprising a tubular sheath, the ends of said sheath providing slots, a bearingmember slidable in said sheath and carrying a. plurality ofV rods pivoted therein, the piv- 'ted ends. Of Said rods being offset in `relation 4 to said respective rods to allow said rods to lie substantially in a common plane and cross at the pivot.

4. A collapsible rack comprising a tubular sheath, divided for a portion of its length by 1ongitudinal slots, a shoe slidably mounted in said sheath and having projections entering said slots, said sheath having at least one slot in its one end, a. plurality 0f rodaarried, by Said shoe. atleast one of which 11s-pivoted on said shoe and adapted to engage in an end slot in spread position, and a cap carried by one of said rods.

5. A collapsible rack comprising a tubular sheathhaving slots in the end thereof, a shoe slidably mounted in said sheath, stop means adjacent the slotted end to limit withdrawal of said shoe, a plurality of rods carried by said shoe, two of which are pivoted on said shoe, each being adapted to engage one of said slots when the rods are in spread posi-tion, and a friction clamp carried by one of said rods for clamping said rods together in collapsed position.

6.-' A collapsible rack comprising a tubular sheath having diametr-ica-lly opposite slotsin one end thereof, andhaving longitudinal dividing slots: a shoe slidable insaid sheath and having projections' entering said dividing. slots, arod secured in saidshoeat one end and carrying a cap at its opposite end, a pair of rods pivoted at their inner ends in alignmentwith said first rod, the inner ends ofsaidV pivoted rods being offset inrelation to therod, whereby. said-rods lie in a common plane, and friction clamp means for securing said rods together, said pivoted rods being .receivable in said en d slots in spread position.

7. A. collapsible, rackA comprising a tubular sheath having aange at one end thereof and having". slots insaid end; yand longitudinal dividing slots; inV the. opposite end of said sheath, a shoeslidable in said sheath having projections entering said dividing slots, rods carried by said shoe, certain of said rods being pivotally mounted and movableilaterallyfto be received in said end slots, and a cap carried by one of said rods and adapted` to `close Said sheath end in collapsed position of ,said rack.

WOODWARD- H; GHJLESPIE.

REFERENCES ClTED The following references are of record in the fle of this patent:

Number Name Date 857,714 'Bougher June 25,1907 1,070,370 Willison Aug. 12 1913 1,185,642 Emerson June 6, 1916 1,587,675 Patterson June 8, 1926 1,843,627 Pinto Feb. 2, 1932 1,893,096 Michaud Jan. 3, 1933 1,955,772 Roth Apr. 24, 1934 `2,126,513 Sterrett Aug. 9, 1938 l2,355,835 Whalen Aug. 15, 1.944 

